Congress banks on BJP vote-bank in Amreli

Guess who's on the wish-list of Gujarat Congress in Amreli, the breeding ground of BJP's dissidents? The powerful Patel community. The state Congress is banking heavily on the BJP's traditional Patel vote-bank.

The rejuvenated opposition party plans to field former BJP MLAs from Amreli constituencies such as Dhari, Lathi and Babara.

Observers believe this will be the Congress' strategy in Saurashtra-the region of erstwhile 100 kingdoms-which sends 48 out of the 182 legislators to the Assembly.

Both parties are sticking to their trusted soldiers in Amreli town. While BJP has almost decided to give ticket to Dilip Sanghani, a known Narendra Modi aide, Congress will field young Paresh Dhanani, who defeated BJP stalwart Purushottam Rupala by almost 17,000 votes in the last assembly elections. On the other hand, Sanghani had lost Rajya Sabha polls against Congress candidate Virji Thummar by a narrow margin.

The Congress high command has made up its mind to give tickets to BJP leaders Bavku Unghad for Dhari constituency, Balu Tanti for Babara and to pitch Bechar Bhadani from Lathi, say informed sources.

Amreli district, which has turned out to be the breeding ground of BJP rebels- a majority of rebel leaders in the saffron party hail from here- is also a stronghold of the Patel community, which has traditionally aligned with the BJP.

However, this time the equation might change as the BJP, after losing its leaders to the Congress, has also selected candidates from Patel community. While BJP may choose between Sharad Lakhani and Mansukh Bhuva for Dhari to fight Unghad, Valji Khokhariya has been informally selected for Babara against Balu Tanti.

A kin of a locally reputed diamond merchant Manji Ruda is likely to be pitched against Bechar Bhadani in Lathi.

"It will be Patel versus Patel this time in Amreli. It looks like the vote-bank will be divided fifty-fifty. The community has been voting for their own leaders and not for any party," said a source in Amreli Congress.